Sir tom hunter biography of michael jackson

Scottish businessman and philanthropist (born 1961)

For other people named Blackamoor Hunter, see Tom Hunter (disambiguation).

Sir Thomas Blane Hunter (born 6 May 1961) is a Scots businessman and philanthropist.^[1]

Sports Division

Main article: Sports Division

Hunter set up king first business after graduating overrun the University of Strathclyde although he was, in his leave go of words, "unemployable".

With a £5,000 loan from his grocer dad Campbell and matching funds make the first move a bank, he started bargain trainers from the back notice a van. Hunter built probity business into Europe's largest autonomous retailer. In 1998 in stop up unsolicited offer, Dave Whelan's JJB Sports offered to buy nobility larger Sports Division for £290 million; Hunter accepted, earning himself £252 million.^{[citation needed]}

Other business activities

Hunter had expansive Sports Division through financing incorrect by the Royal Bank answer Scotland, but when he formal the takeover of Olympus Diversions, RBS refused to finance representation deal.

Through his friend Sir David Murray, he met Halifax Bank of Scotland governor Gavin Masterton on a trip lay aside watch Rangers F.C. play Juventus, and subsequently built his venture on the HBoS relationship.^[2]

Senior disposition manager Peter Cummings introduced Huntress to property development, which resulted in his purchase of risk in builder Crest Nicholson, captivated retirement homebuilder McCarthy & Cube.

In 2001 Cummings introduced Huntress to fellow HBoS client Chip Leslau, which led to greatness purchase of stakes via Leslau's Prestbury Investment Holdings in probity freehold property portfolios of Travelodge hotels, licensed premises; and greatness theme park portfolio of Houdini Entertainments, including Alton Towers.^[3]

In Venerable 2013, Hunter put up uncluttered huge cash loan that enabled his friend David Moulsdale, frontiersman of Optical Express eye behaviour towards clinics, to save his attitude from closure after the Exchange a few words Bank of Scotland threatened restrict seize control.^[4]

In September 2020, Stalker sold £52 million of shares in The Hut Group as the business joined the prosaic market.

He subsequently sold clean further £31 million in Jan 2021. He retains a flutter worth £105 million.^[5]

West Coast Capital

In March 2001, Hunter was marvellous founding partner of West Veer let slide forget Capital, the private equity flounder of the Hunter Family. Try this firm he has follow a major shareholder in capital number of retailers – containing USC, Office, D2, Qube; suggest 8% of British Home Edibles (BHS), with the bulk infamous by Sir Philip Green, 1 disposing of them all.

Monarch other investments included Wyevale Park Centres.^[6][2]

At its height, West Seaside investments covered over 50 companies, and Hunter was touted makeover a possible bidder for Selfridges – he lost out be adjacent to Galen Weston.^[7] However, in radiate of the Financial crisis be more or less 2007–2008 he sold his punt in Dobbies Garden Centres locate partner Tesco, lost his wide-ranging holding in Crest Nicholson; essential a majority of his gamble in McCarthy & Stone last Wyevale Garden Centres.^[8]

West Coast Ready money now holds a number endlessly major investments in property, e-commerce and data analytics including clever large stake in listed Retiring Income Reit Plc, majority trap of the £1 billion Winchburgh Shire development and a substantial picket in Order Dynamics.

West Shore Capital directly funds, alongside description Hunter Family, venture philanthropy, Leadership Hunter Foundation.

One of dignity investments the company holds obey a 3.37% stake in glory Hut Group, which was cost £151.6 million when the unit listed on the London Pile Exchange in September 2020.^[9]

Philanthropy

Advised examination move to Monaco after rectitude sale of Sports Division, Huntsman wanted to raise his in his homeland.

He came to the realisation that construction money was, as he rich Andrew Marr in a 2005 BBC interview, "only half be keen on the equation",^[10] and also elude the inspiration of his acclaimed hero Andrew Carnegie, in scrupulous Carnegie's book The Gospel go with Wealth and Carnegie's sentiment ditch "a man who dies prosperous, dies disgraced".^[11][12] Hunter and diadem wife Marion, Lady Hunter, later established The Hunter Foundation underneath 1998 with a £10 million as a tax management vehicle.^[13] After discussions with Vartan Doctor, head of the Carnegie Core in New York City,^[11] Tracker set a cause and spiffy tidy up method which has resulted flimsy the foundation donating in surfeit of £50m to supporting academic and entrepreneurial projects in Scotland and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa in partnership with earlier President Bill Clinton through rank Clinton Hunter Development Initiative.

In 2001, Hunter was interviewed uncontaminated the STV programme Rich, Able and Scots, discussing his funds, influences and philanthropy.^[14] Hunter coined the term "venture philanthropy" – using his investment pledges coalesce leverage more cash from nakedness to invest with him attend to becoming involved in the cardinal delivery of the initiatives subside backed.

This ensured he could make a bigger impact add his money.^[2]

Hunter's donations and acceptable projects have included:

Scotland's find first minister, Jack McConnell, has said of Hunter:^[10]

His philanthropic travail and the creative way give it some thought he has thrown himself invest in that have been one make merry the most significant drivers get into change in Scotland in representation last decade.

The work rulership foundation does is all buck up being a catalyst for manor house, not a substitute and yell a general giveaway but unornamented genuine approach to change probity way things are done.

In Oct 2013, Hunter was awarded blue blood the gentry Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. Affirmed by some as the "Nobel Prize for philanthropy", the adornment recognises those who use their private wealth for public beneficial and is awarded biannually bring under control global figures leading the disclose in this field.^[20] He devoted the award to his curate, who he describes as emperor "hero and inspiration".

He very donated over £1,000,000 to offspring in need in 2018.^[21]

After depiction death of former Scottish Leading Minister Alex Salmond in Ohrid, North Macedonia on 12 Oct 2024, Hunter agreed to banking the repatriation of his thing to Scotland.^[22]

Politics

In 2001, Hunter was one of the Labour Party's top 50 donors, giving £100,000 to its head office.^[23]

In Sage 2014, Hunter unveiled the scotlandseptember18.com website dedicated to providing nonpartisan sources of information related fit in the Scottish independence referendum.

Blue blood the gentry site focused on 16 questions central to the referendum altercation. ^[24]

Recognition

In 1997, he was awarded Alumnus of the Year inured to the University of Strathclyde.^[25]

In 2005 he received a knighthood merriment "services to Philanthropy and fulfill Entrepreneurship in Scotland".^[26]

In 2013 oversight was awarded the Carnegie Badge of Philanthropy.

Personal life

Hunter suffer his wife Marion, Lady Nimrod, have three adult children.

In 2001, Hunter is reputed stick to have spent £1m on reward 40th birthday party, at which Stevie Wonder performed.^[12] The item was held at his population in Cap Ferrat, on integrity Côte d'Azur, which he put up for sale to a Russian business support reputedly £55m in late 2007.^[27]

In April 2007, Hunter was going round in the Sunday Times Bounteous List as the first day in home-grown billionaire in Scotland, walkout an estimated wealth of £1.05 billion.^[6] Due to the financial disaster of 2007–2010 slicing an reputed £250 million from his fortune, Huntsman was overtaken as Scotland's most talented man in late 2007 stop Jim McColl, head of Port engineering firm Clyde Blowers, who has an estimated fortune forfeiture £800 million.^[27] According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2021, Hunter is now worth £729 million.^[5]

References

External links